Rolling vehicle with two front steering wheels and and at least a rear driving wheel

• US 20080115994A1
• Filed: 10/24/2007
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Piaggio & C SPA (Immsi SPA)
• Original Assignee: Piaggio & C SPA (Immsi SPA)
• Inventors: Martini, Federico, Santucci, Mario Donato, Di Tanna, Onorino, Mariotti, Valentino, Rosellini, Walter, Bartolozzi, Stefano
• Application Number:
  US11/977,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20080115994A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/210
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 9/02 combined with means for inwardly inclining vehicle body on bends
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/01 Motorcycles with four or more wheels specially adapted for disabled riders B62K5/003
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/027 Motorcycles with three wheels specially adapted for disabled riders B62K5/023
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/05 characterised by a single rear wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/06 Frames for tricycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/08 with steering devices acting on two or more wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/10 with means for inwardly inclining the vehicle body on bends

Abstract

A rolling vehicle (10) with two front steering wheels (16, 18) comprising a frame (14), handlebars (20), at least a rear driving wheel (12) connected to a motor (22), and a steering kinematism of the two front wheels (16, 18), wherein the steering kinematism is longitudinal and comprises two parallel longitudinal arms (36, 38) fixedly connected at one end of a steering control lever (26), connected to the handlebars (20) through a cylindrical hinge (24), and at the other end, through two spherical hinges (32, 34), to two articulated quadrilaterals, also longitudinal with respect to the vehicle (10), which rotatably connect the two front wheels (16, 18) to the frame (14), so as to achieve steering, performed by a user through a rotation of the handlebars (20), of the two front wheels (16, 18) with respect to the frame (14).

Claims

1. Rolling vehicle (10) with two front steering wheels (16, 18) comprising a frame (14), handlebars (20), at least a rear driving wheel (12) connected to a motor (22), and a steering kinematism of said two front wheels (16, 18), characterised in that said steering kinematism is longitudinal and comprises two parallel longitudinal arms (36, 38) fixedly connected at one end of a steering control lever (26), connected to said handlebars (20) through a cylindrical hinge (24), and at the other end, through two spherical hinges (32, 34), to two articulated quadrilaterals, also longitudinal with respect to said vehicle (10), which rotatably connect said two front wheels (16, 18) to said frame (14), so as to achieve steering, performed by a user through a rotation of said handlebars (20), of said two front wheels (16, 18) with respect to said frame (14).

2. Rolling vehicle (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that said two quadrilaterals comprise two top cross members (44, 40), two bottom cross members (46, 42), and two front connection arms (38, 36) with said two front wheels (16, 18), in which said top cross members (44, 40) are connected, on one side, through cylindrical hinges (56, 60), to said frame (14), and on the other side, through ball joints (48, 52) to said front arms (38, 36), and in which said bottom cross members (46, 42) are connected, on one side, through cylindrical hinges (58, 62), to said frame (14), and on the other side, through ball joints (40, 54) to said front arms (38, 36).

3. Rolling vehicle (10) according to claim 2, characterised in that said two arms (36, 38) are connected to said two front arms (38, 36) of said quadrilaterals through said two spherical hinges (32, 34).

4. Rolling vehicle (10) according to claim 3, characterised in that said two parallel articulated quadrilaterals are connected together in a perpendicular direction by a rocker arm (72) through two spherical hinges (66, 64).

5. Rolling vehicle (10) according to claim 4, characterised in that said rocker arm comprises two arms (68, 70) that connect it to said bottom cross members (46, 42) of said quadrilaterals through said two spherical hinges (66, 64).

6. Rolling vehicle (10) according to claim 5, characterised in that said rocker arm (72) is connected to the frame by a hinge (74) arranged substantially in a position of symmetry of said rolling vehicle (10) so as to allow rolling rotations of said two articulated quadrilaterals with respect to said frame (14) about said hinge (74).

7. Rolling vehicle (10) according to claim 6, characterised in that said front arms (36, 38) respectively connected to said front wheels (16, 18) split on both sides of said front wheels (16, 18) to form a classic fork.

8. Rolling vehicle (10) according to claim 6, characterised in that said front arms (36, 38) are respectively connected to said front wheels (16, 18) with a single arm on a single side of said front wheels (16, 18).

9. Rolling vehicle (10) according to claim 8, characterised in that both of said front arms (36, 38) are respectively connected to said front wheels (16, 18) with a single arm just on the outer side of said front wheels (16, 18).

10. Rolling vehicle (10) according to claim 8, characterised in that both of said front arms (36, 38) are respectively connected to said front wheels (16, 18) with a single arm just on the inner side of said front wheels (16, 18).

11. Rolling vehicle (10) according to claim 8, characterised in that both of said front arms (36, 38) are respectively connected to said front wheels (16, 18) with a single arm just on the right side of said front wheels (16, 18).

12. Rolling vehicle (10) according to claim 8, characterised in that both of said front arms (36, 38) are respectively connected to said front wheels (16, 18) with a single arm just on the left side of said front wheels (16, 18).

13. Rolling vehicle (10) according to claim 8, characterised in that each of said front arms (36, 38) is applied directly to an independent suspension (76) consisting of an elastic component and a damping component both fixedly connected to said respective front arm (36, 38).

14. Rolling vehicle (10) according to claim 8, characterised in that said arms (68, 70) that connect said rocker arm (72) to said bottom cross members (46, 42) of said quadrilaterals are replaced by two shock absorbers.

15. Rolling vehicle (10) according to claim 8, characterised in that it comprises a shock absorber inserted in said rocker arm (72).